Spice Route

Vasco da Gama accomplished something European sailors had pursued for years-he found a sea route from Europe to India. This passage introduces students to da Gama’s childhood in Portugal and explains why spices such as pepper, cinnamon, and cloves made reaching India so important to European traders. Readers learn how the Portuguese king selected da Gama to lead an expedition around Africa in search of a new trading route.

This worksheet follows the dangerous voyage around the Cape of Good Hope and across the Indian Ocean to Calicut, India. Students also learn about the conflicts da Gama encountered with local rulers and merchants, his later voyages, and the lasting importance of the route he established. The passage helps students practice sequencing events, identifying motivations and challenges, and understanding how exploration influenced international trade.